Video: Man who took to rooftop jailed for hammer and machete attack

Alex Wood

A violent offender – who attacked a man with a machete and hammer and hurled tiles down on police from a rooftop – has been jailed for 13 years.

Clint Clay, 24, was convicted of assaulting Jason Potts, last June, wounding him with intent to cause grievous bodily harm on July 4 and threatening Mr Potts with an offensive weapon on both occasions.

He also admitted a charge of affray relating to an incident where he took to the roof of a house in Alexandra Road, Ashby, for around three-and-a-half hours on July 6, causing almost £5,000 worth of damage.

Grimsby Crown Court heard Clay, of Frodingham Road, Scunthorpe, had been lucky not to have killed Mr Potts and that the rooftop incident had been “probably the worst affray” that Judge Simon Jack had ever heard of.

Judge Jack said Clay had put people “at substantial risk, throwing down roof tiles” while police and emergency services were standing below.

“Clay’s violent offending and his antisocial behaviour had a huge impact on the community he lived in and this sentence should serve as a warning to others that this kind of behaviour will not be tolerated.

“It also highlights how seriously those who choose to take to rooftops will be dealt with. This kind of offending not only affects those in the immediate area, but by tying up our officers and other emergency services, it also impacts on all the communities we serve and will not be treated lightly.”